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Stole another one from UNCG.

6'8"... Was apparently a top 150 recruit.

Averaged all of 1.9 pts a game. Hope he rebounds well.

(04-23-2021 03:33 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  Stole another one from UNCG.

6'8"... Was apparently a top 150 recruit.

Averaged all of 1.9 pts a game. Hope he rebounds well.

...he was a freshman last year.. just saying. How many great Bearcats over the last one or two decades started off with 2ppg as a freshman?

JD averaged 1.9 points per game as a freshman.

7' and 6'8" in the past two days... that's progress.

Kenyon Martin averaged 2.8 points per game as a freshman. Only played in 22 games.

Sean Kilpatrick redshirted his freshman year.

Justin Jackson averaged 2.5 points as a freshman. That was with 13 minutes/game, too (more than double Hensley).

Octavius Ellis averaged 2.3 points per game as a freshman. Only played in 3 games.

Bobby Brannen averaged 2.6 points per game as a freshman.

If Coach Miller thought this kid was a complete recruiting miss, he wouldn't be bringing him here. He obviously knows what he has/likes what he sees in his development. Not saying he'll be a world beater, but I'm guessing he'll be a solid contributor by his junior year at least.

(04-23-2021 03:59 PM)Bear Catlett Wrote:  7' and 6'8" in the past two days... that's progress.

Yes. It's also guys he's coached and recruited. Not a bad strategy with so many pieces to bring together and mesh. You need some familarity/continuity.

Getting the band back together for a SOCON run!

(04-23-2021 04:55 PM)doss2 Wrote:  Getting the band back together for a SOCON run!

You already made this lame attempt at a joke.

I guess I'll preface this with 2 facts lest I be branded as a troll or accused of having multiple identities here. I"m happy with the Wes Miller hire and I'm open to seeing what Hensley and the other UNCG guys coming over can do. But I do have a couple of thoughts/observations:

1. The eagerness to rationalize excitement about any of the guys we've added this year is well, a bit much. At this point, if Wes added Billy Bearcat to the team I think we'd find posters focusing on him being short, fat and slow as evidence of him having old man skills and game like Steve Logan. Don't get me wrong, I ain't mad. In fact, it sure beats the negativity and sarcasm we often see directed at other recruits and Bearcats under previous regimes. These guys (including Miller's ability to project development by extension) deserve a chance to impress and I hope they all do.

2. Not that it matters, but I wonder if all the UNCG fans vowing to support Wes when we hired him at UC still feel the same. The assistant coach is clearly fair game, but taking their transfer recruit and two current players (so far) seems like it might cost him some goodwill. Once again, I'm not complaining as the players have clearly gained power in the current game and everybody needs to adapt to it. But I wonder what the reaction here would have been if Mick took a similar group away from UC to UCLA.

(04-23-2021 05:16 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  I guess I'l preface this wth 2 facts lest I be branded as being a troll or having mulitple identities here. I"m happy with the Wes Miller hire and I'm open to seeing what Hensley can do. But I do have a couple of thoughts/observations:

1. The eagerness to rationalize excitement about any of the guys we've added this year is well, a bit much. At this point, if Wes added Billy Bearcat to the team I think we'd find posters focusing on him being short, fat and slow as evidence of him having old man skills and game like Steve Logan. Don't get me wrong, I ain't mad. In fact, it sure beats the negativity and sarcasm we often see directed at other recruits and Bearcats under previous regimes. These guys deserve a chance to impress and I hope they do.

2. Not that it matters, but I wonder if all the UNCG fans vowing to support Wes at UC still feel the same. The assistant coach is clearly fair game, but taking their transfer recruit and two current players (so far) seems like it might cost him some goodwill. Once again, I'm not complaining as the players have clearly gained power in the current game and everybody needs to adapt to it. But I wonder what the reaction here would have been if Mick took a similar group away from UC to UCLA.

I see you read my scouting report

(04-23-2021 05:19 PM)Billy_Bearcat Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 05:16 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  I guess I'l preface this wth 2 facts lest I be branded as being a troll or accused of having mulitple identities here. I"m happy with the Wes Miller hire and I'm open to seeing what Hensley can do. But I do have a couple of thoughts/observations:

1. The eagerness to rationalize excitement about any of the guys we've added this year is well, a bit much. At this point, if Wes added Billy Bearcat to the team I think we'd find posters focusing on him being short, fat and slow as evidence of him having old man skills and game like Steve Logan. Don't get me wrong, I ain't mad. In fact, it sure beats the negativity and sarcasm we often see directed at other recruits and Bearcats under previous regimes. These guys deserve a chance to impress and I hope they do.

2. Not that it matters, but I wonder if all the UNCG fans vowing to support Wes at UC still feel the same. The assistant coach is clearly fair game, but taking their transfer recruit and two current players (so far) seems like it might cost him some goodwill. Once again, I'm not complaining as the players have clearly gained power in the current game and everybody needs to adapt to it. But I wonder what the reaction here would have been if Mick took a similar group away from UC to UCLA.

I see you read my scouting report

Just a lucky guess, my man!

(04-23-2021 05:09 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 04:55 PM)doss2 Wrote:  Getting the band back together for a SOCON run!

You already made this lame attempt at a joke.

Didn't Brannen bring Vogt?

(04-23-2021 05:16 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  :

1. The eagerness to rationalize excitement about any of the guys we've added this year is well, a bit much.

I'm curious what you mean by "rationalize". The fan base seems pretty rational about what has been added. Nobody is acting like we went out and got the second coming of Kenyon Martin and Sean Kilpatrick. All the takes I've seen have been pretty rational evaluations with some healthy skepticism thrown in.

We've added a wing from Clemson who was basically a more efficient Keith Williams two years ago who really struggled last season, possibly because of recovering from knee issues, possibly other things. He fills a big need, has been really solid at a high major program, but is not without questions.

We have a super senior center from uncg who seems to fill an enormous need for a rim protector. Worst case he's a warm body in a position we have none. He's not been a very good rebounder for his size but has been an efficient scorer.

We also brought a former 4 star freshman who has little track record. People hope he can live up to his ranking as he develops. Nobody is acting like he's a surefire star.

Bottom line we filled a couple immediate roster needs. That's good.

(04-23-2021 04:55 PM)doss2 Wrote:  Getting the band back together for a SOCON run!

Lame, as always.

(04-23-2021 05:30 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 05:09 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 04:55 PM)doss2 Wrote:  Getting the band back together for a SOCON run!

You already made this lame attempt at a joke.

Didn't Brannen bring Vogt?

if Cronin wanted to bring some uc players with him to UCLA who the heck would he have selected? who's spot would they have taken on the Final Four team? Mick knew what he had and what he could recruit at UCLA.
He certainly didn't need bench warmers.

When Wes leaves us for the next open ACC job I think we are seeing what will happen to us.

We may not be happy when it happens to us.

(04-23-2021 06:13 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 05:16 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  :

1. The eagerness to rationalize excitement about any of the guys we've added this year is well, a bit much.

I'm curious what you mean by "rationalize". The fan base seems pretty rational about what has been added. Nobody is acting like we went out and got the second coming of Kenyon Martin and Sean Kilpatrick. All the takes I've seen have been pretty rational evaluations with some healthy skepticism thrown in.

We've added a wing from Clemson who was basically a more efficient Keith Williams two years ago who really struggled last season, possibly because of recovering from knee issues, possibly other things. He fills a big need, has been really solid at a high major program, but is not without questions.

We have a super senior center from uncg who seems to fill an enormous need for a rim protector. Worst case he's a warm body in a position we have none. He's not been a very good rebounder for his size but has been an efficient scorer.

We also brought a former 4 star freshman who has little track record. People hope he can live up to his ranking as he develops. Nobody is acting like he's a surefire star.

Bottom line we filled a couple immediate roster needs. That's good.

I'm not really interested in knocking these guys but if you're really going to challenge me suggesting a little brake-pumping is in order, I thought we were all about championships. Even now you are hyping Hensley as a 4* because a single service, rivals, had him at #144 despite a very pedestrian offer list (not sure I'm buying LSU was committable as compared to UNCG and Kent St.) and an average under 2 ppg as a frosh. The other guy is 7-1 (that's tall!) and he makes free throws and 3 pointers! (of course he averaged 1 made per game of each last year as a 4th year senior.) I'll cut the Clemson guy's regression some injury slack but let's be honest, Rap's credentials, for example, dwarfed these guys and people were all over him after just a few games here.

You think Houston fans are looking at these adds and thinking "ooh, Cincy (that's how they do it) could be tough next year with these new guys". Memphis? Wichita? Heck, I'm not interested enough to check but I wonder how they compare to Tulane. I'm not knocking them as potential contributors but I'm hoping for a good bit stronger credentials with the schollies left.

(04-23-2021 06:57 PM)bearcat54 Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 05:30 PM)UCGrad1992 Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 05:09 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 04:55 PM)doss2 Wrote:  Getting the band back together for a SOCON run!

You already made this lame attempt at a joke.

Didn't Brannen bring Vogt?

if Cronin wanted to bring some uc players with him to UCLA who the heck would he have selected? who's spot would they have taken on the Final Four team? Mick knew what he had and what he could recruit at UCLA.
He certainly didn't need bench warmers.

JC, Tre, Keith? I could see the loss of any of them to UCLA ruffling some feathers here.

(04-23-2021 07:31 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 06:13 PM)bearcatmark Wrote:  

(04-23-2021 05:16 PM)Bearhawkeye Wrote:  :

1. The eagerness to rationalize excitement about any of the guys we've added this year is well, a bit much.

I'm curious what you mean by "rationalize". The fan base seems pretty rational about what has been added. Nobody is acting like we went out and got the second coming of Kenyon Martin and Sean Kilpatrick. All the takes I've seen have been pretty rational evaluations with some healthy skepticism thrown in.

We've added a wing from Clemson who was basically a more efficient Keith Williams two years ago who really struggled last season, possibly because of recovering from knee issues, possibly other things. He fills a big need, has been really solid at a high major program, but is not without questions.

We have a super senior center from uncg who seems to fill an enormous need for a rim protector. Worst case he's a warm body in a position we have none. He's not been a very good rebounder for his size but has been an efficient scorer.

We also brought a former 4 star freshman who has little track record. People hope he can live up to his ranking as he develops. Nobody is acting like he's a surefire star.

Bottom line we filled a couple immediate roster needs. That's good.

I'm not really interested in knocking these guys but if you're really going to challenge me suggesting a little brake-pumping is in order, I thought we were all about championships. Even now you are hyping Hensley as a 4* because a single service, rivals, had him at #144 despite a very pedestrian offer list (not sure I'm buying LSU was committable as compared to UNCG and Kent St.) and an average under 2 ppg as a frosh. The other guy is 7-1 (that's tall!) and he makes free throws and 3 pointers! (of course he averaged 1 made per game of each last year as a 4th year senior.) I'll cut the Clemson guy's regression some injury slack but let's be honest, Rap's credentials, for example, dwarfed these guys and people were all over him after just a few games here.

You think Houston fans are looking at these adds and thinking "ooh, Cincy (that's how they do it) could be tough next year with these new guys". Memphis? Wichita? Heck, I'm not interested enough to check but I wonder how they compare to Tulane. I'm not knocking them as potential contributors but I'm hoping for a good bit more resume-wise with the schollies left.

If this was all Wes adds to team most fans are going to be upset. In my view this first week on the job was all about stability and stopping the bleeding. Getting commitments from two UC guys in the portal and three guys he had association with as UNCG coach is huge. That is five guys, mostly role players when added to MAW and Davenport give this group a solid core to build around. The next step is to finalize the staff, sort out of if any other player is planning on leaving, and then go after a few prize recruits that could be the centerpiece of the roster.

They absolutely need a stud go to guy. I believe that person needs to be a 2 or 3 that dominates the ball when needed but all can set up teammates to score. A true back to the basketball scorer/rebounder is also a priority. If DDJ leaves then another point guard is a must.